1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a method for controlling a computer display. In particular, this invention provides for temporarily highlighting prior instances of displayed input.
2. Background Art
Sometimes a relatively inexperienced computer user will be observing a more experienced user, attempting to learn by watching. The experienced user will be interacting with the computer and may fail to completely explain the reason for each command typed. The inexperienced user may be unable to keep up. One particular problem occurs when the experienced user sees something on the screen and uses it as input to a command. The inexperienced user needs to see the text in the command, recognize it as potentially coming from data that is already on or has just previously been on the screen somewhere, and locate it on the screen. The time and effort required to do that inhibits learning on the part of the inexperienced user or slows down the experienced user.
Typically, a personal computer (PC) is connected to a host computer and displays a terminal emulation session 150. A person interacts with the host computer via the PC's terminal emulation program. When the person types something on the emulation screen, it is desirable to spotlight numbers or other special data elsewhere on the screen when it matches what the person has just entered. The reason for this desirability is that while the person presumably obtained the data from the screen, other people trying to watch and learn may not know this unless the source of the data is pointed out to them.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for hastening human recognition of on-screen data that is being used in an interactive situation, and to do so in a relatively non-intrusive manner.
It is an object of the invention to facilitate faster human recognition of on-screen data without significantly slowing down the operation of a computer display by experienced users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling a display device displaying a plurality of display elements, comprising the steps of receiving a display indicia; determining if at least one display element corresponds to the display indicia; and if so temporarily highlighting that display element.
Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.